System and method for providing concealed information using dispensed paper

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a system and method for providing concealed information to users. The system may include a dispensing terminal, which dispenses specially-printed documents having removable window or lens devices disposed on them. The user may remove the window or lens device to reveal the concealed information, which may include promotional information. The concealed information may be included on the specially-printed documents or on a surface of the window or lens device. When the concealed information is on the surface of the window or lens device, a display may be used to reveal the information.

This application is a continuation-in-part application of prior application Ser. No. 12/108,300 filed Apr. 23, 2008, which claims the benefit of provisional Application No. 60/924,251, filed May 4, 2007. Information contained therein is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to the delivery of encoded or concealed information. More particularly, the present invention relates to the delivery of encoded or concealed information dispensed during communication with a user, for example, communication with a dispensing terminal.

2. Discussion of the Related Art

There are approximately 1.5 million automated teller machines (“ATMs”) throughout the world. Approximately 400,000 of these are located in the U.S.A. typical ATM may engage in many transactions per day. For each transaction, the ATM provides the user with a receipt, which the user typically retains for his or her records.

There are still more point of sale (POS) terminals, for example, cash registers or credit card terminals, in which users receive receipts for the transaction.

The ATM or POS receipt may be used to provide information, such as advertising, personal account information, promotional offers and the like.

Related art approaches to using an ATM or POS to provide information involve printing information on receipts. However, the available area on a receipt is small. As such, the amount of information that can be provided on the ATM or POS receipt is generally limited. In addition, the type of information that can be safely provided on an ATM or POS receipt may be limited for security reasons.

Accordingly, what is needed is a way to place information on an ATM or POS receipt such that the information on the receipt can lead the user to secondary sources of information, which provide further information that cannot be printed on the receipt.

In addition, what is needed is a way to include information on paper dispensed from a terminal such that some information on the dispensed paper is not readily apparent to a user and an addition device is needed to reveal the concealed information.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a system and method for providing information using documents from a dispensing terminal such as automated teller machine, point of sale terminal, ticket dispenser or printer that obviates one or more of the aforementioned problems due to the limitations of the related art.

Accordingly, one advantage of the present invention is that it improves an advertiser's ability to reach more potential users.

Another advantage of the present invention is that it allows more promotional services to access a user from a single transaction.

Another advantage of the present invention is that it allows for alternative distribution of concealed information.

Additional advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description what follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.

To achieve these and other advantages, the present invention may include a method of providing concealed information. The method may comprise installing a supply of paper in a dispenser, wherein the supply of paper has at least one window device disposed thereon; dispensing at least a portion of the paper to a user; and providing the concealed information, wherein the concealed information is included in the dispensed portion of the paper and wherein the concealed information is revealable by a user.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary system for providing information using automated teller machines according to the present invention; and

FIG. 2A illustrates an exemplary printed document according to the present invention.

FIGS. 2B, 2C 2D illustrate structures of still other exemplary printed documents.

FIGS. 3-6 illustrate exemplary processes according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention involves using a specially-printed document including concealed information.

In one embodiment, a specially-printed document provides promotional information to a user. The promotional information may include website information, whereby the user may subsequently use a computer to gain access to the website.

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary system 100 according to the present invention. System 100 includes a dispensing terminal, such as an ATM, POS, ticket terminal or printer 105, which has a paper roll 110. Paper roll 110 may be a standard paper roll that is commercially available for the ATM, POS, ticket terminal and printer or may be paper unique to the device. Paper roll 110 may have a plurality of segments 115, which may be formed end-to-end on a single piece of paper 112. Paper 112 may be standard paper that is commercially available or may be paper unique to the terminal. System 100 also includes a host computer 120, which has a processor 121 and a memory device 123. Host computer 120 may be connected to the Internet or a network 125. A client computer 130, which has a screen 135 may also be connected to Internet 125. One of skill in the art would appreciate that, while an automated teller machine 105 is illustrated in FIG. 1, a point of sale (POS) terminal, a ticket terminal such as a movie ticket terminal, parking ticket terminal or amusement park ticket terminal, or printer may be substituted for the ATM 105 without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

System 100 may also include a wireless communication service 140, which provides a communications link with a user via a cell phone 145. Wireless communication service 140 may communicate with host computer 120 via the internet 125 or other known interface.

Host computer 120 may include one or more computers that host a website according to the present invention. If host computer 120 includes more than one computer, one or more of the other computers may be remotely located and connected over internet 125. Memory device 123 may include one or more memory components, which may be integrated within host computer 120 or distributed among other computers that are connected over internet 125. Memory device 123 is encoded with computer readable instructions and data (hereinafter the “software”) for implementing processes according to the invention.

The system may include a dispensing terminal, which dispenses documents having concealed information surfaces disposed on them. A user may reveal the concealed information by using a tinted or non-tinted window or lens to reveal information, such as promotional information including an award or prize, or award or prize information may be revealed to the user once he has viewed a website. Alternatively, the revealed information may include a website, through which the user may log on or visit to see if he/she has won an award or prize. The website may provide additional information to the user, such as promotional information, some of which may be provided by multiple providers. In a variation of the system, the concealed information may encourage the user to use a cell phone to send a text message to a specified number, along with a response to the promotional information. The system receives the text message and compares the entry code with codes that correspond to a winning entry. The award or prize may be related to a sales promotion.

FIG. 2 illustrates a plurality of exemplary segments 115 according to the present invention. Segment 115 may include a window or lens surface 205, which may cover the entire surface of one side of segment 115. Alternatively, window or lens surface 205 may cover an area that is a subset of the area of one side of segment 115. The window or lens surface 205 may include a window or lens device 215 or may cover a window or lens device mounted in the paper itself. The window or lens surface 205 may also include a portion 245. Portion 245 may be adjacent to or surround the window or lens device 215. In addition, portion 245 may be opaque or translucent. As mentioned above, segment 115 may be formed of one piece of paper 112, whereby each individual segment 115 may be connected by a perforation 210 in paper 112 to allow the segments to be detachable. Alternatively, the supply of paper may be a single piece or strip of paper in which some portion of the paper may be detached such that the detached portion of paper may contain one or more of said windows.

Window or lens surface 205 may be disposed on segment 115 such that when segment 115 is dispensed by terminal 105, the window or lens surface 205 may be on either side the segment 115. The window or lens surface 205 may include a window or lens device 215. Window or lens surface 205 and window or lens device 215 may be tinted and may include a decoder or descrambler-style instrument or game piece including a color-tinted or non-tinted transparent, semi-transparent or translucent plastic material. An exemplary window or lens device 215 may be like that manufactured by WebDecoder.com (a.k.a. Global Commerce Group, Inc.) of Cumming, Ga., USA or by WS Packaging Group Inc. of Algoma, Wis. The use of a decoder-style device 215 is described further below.

An alternative concealing device may be used on the dispensed document, such as a removable opaque surface including pre-printed information, such as promotional information, or a scratch-off surface, like that found on a lottery ticket. Also, a combination of devices may be used on a single dispensed document, for example a scratch-off surface and a decoder-style window or lens device.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, segment 115 and window surface 205 may be printed with information pertaining to award, promotions or games. For example, the surface of segment 115 underneath surface 205 may include printed information inviting a user to go to a website for example, directly to a vendor or retailer's website or to an intermediary website offering various promotional data or re-direction to a vendor or retailer's website. Further, printed information on segment 115, window or lens surface 205 and/or information revealed using the decoder-style device 215 may encourage the user to use a cell phone 145 to send a text message to a particular number maintained by wireless communication service 140. The promotional material, window or lens surface and/or window of lens device or window may be preprovided on the receipt paper before the dispensing terminal is loaded with the supply of paper.

The concealed information may be printed on segment 115 or window surface 205. When the concealed information is printed on segment 115, window 215 may be used to reveal the concealed information. Alternatively, when the concealed information is printed on window surface 205, the user may place the window 215 in front of display that would cause the information on the window or on the display to be revealed. The display may include a screen, such as a computer screen, a movie screen, a transparent screen, a semi-transparent screen or an opaque screen. In addition, the display may be illuminated or not. For example, the display may include a light source, which may be colored. The light source may also illuminate the screen, such as a computer monitor screen, brightly colored tinted material or movie screen, to reveal the concealed information. Alternatively, the concealed information may be revealed using a non-illuminated display. For example, the non-illuminated display may include a colored screen, a transparent screen, a semi-transparent screen or an opaque screen. The display may be a simple display, such as a poster or board, that causes the information on the window or lens or on the display itself to be revealed. The concealed information in the window 215 may be revealed using only the screen of the display, only the light source or a combination thereof.

Window or lens device 215 may be plastic piece or token that may be used to play a game. The information may include any information that a vendor, retailer, promotion provider, etc. may want to present to the user. One skilled in the art will readily appreciate that such variations to lens device 215 are possible and within the scope of the invention.

FIGS. 2B, 2C 2D illustrate exemplary structures of exemplary dispensed segments. For example, FIG. 2B illustrates an exemplary segment 115 that includes an adhesive 220 and laminate 225 to attach a decoder style device 215. FIG. 2C illustrates a scratch-off style concealment device 230 with a decoder style device 215 attached using a laminate 225. FIG. 2D illustrates a decoder-style device 215 in a “clean release” configuration that may be attached using an adhesive 235. One of skill in the art world appreciate that any combination or sole use of known attachment method would be possible, e.g. clean release, glue rails, etc. One of skill in the art would also appreciate that the decoder-style device may be formed of many known materials, including plastic, such as polypropylene.

FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary process 300 for providing promotional information according to the present invention.

At step 305 window or lens surface 205 is predisposed on a portion of paper dispensed from a terminal. In doing so, for example, a decoder-type device 215 may be fabricated and adhered to paper 112. Information and graphics may be printed on paper 112 so that the information and graphics are hidden by surface 205. This way, the information and graphics are revealed only when the user having the dispensed segment removes device 215 from receipt 115.

If device 215 is a decoder-style device, the decoder-style device may be adhered to paper 112 using an adhesive or laminate or by an attachment film in a clean release method.

At step 310, the plurality of segments 115, formed in paper 112, are installed at a dispensing terminal spooled onto paper roll 110 and illustrated in dispensing terminal 105 of FIG. 1. Each segment 115 on the paper roll 110 may be substantially the same or at least one segment is different from the others. For example, it may be predetermined that ten awards are to be awarded via the dispensed segments, thus ten segments on the roll will include information that an award has been won before the paper roll 110 is installed in the dispensing terminal. The winning information may be included on the paper 112 or on the device 215.

At step 315, a user receives a segment 115 by, for example, using an ATM for a customary banking transaction, receiving a receipt in a sales transaction, or receiving a ticket. At the end of the transaction, dispensing terminal 105 dispenses the segment 115 and the user may remove segment 115 from the dispensing terminal 105.

At step 320, the user removes surface 205 from segment 115. Surface 205 may include a tab (not shown) by which the user may pull surface 205 off of segment 115. In doing so, user has obtained device 215, and may reveal the graphics and information printed on paper 112 and the underside of surface 205. The user may also or alternatively “scratch-off” a scratch-off surface to reveal the graphics and information printed on paper 112. The graphic and information may be printed on the paper or on the removed surface itself.

Further to step 320, the user uses client computer 130 to access a website, according to the information provided on paper 112 or the game piece device 215. Thus, the user may be directed to an advertiser's website, for example a vendor or a retailer, or may be directed to a website to capture information about the user, as illustrated in FIG. 3.

The website may be maintained by host computer 120 such that the machine readable instructions and data corresponding to the website are stored on memory device 123, and the instructions are executed on processor 121.

Additional information may be obtained from the user, as illustrated in FIG. 4. As illustrated in FIG. 4, for example, at step 425, processor 121 executes instructions corresponding to the website to prompt the user for information. Prompted information may include demographic information, such as gender, age, vocation, address, and the like. The user may enter the demographic information via client computer 130.

At step 430, processor 121 may execute instructions corresponding to the website to “hand off” the user to another server, which is operated by first promotion provider. In doing so, server operated by the first promotion provider may begin interacting with the user in such a way that the user may not be aware that he/she is no longer interacting with the website hosted by host computer 120. In handing-off the user, host computer 120 may provide the server operated by first promotion provider with the user information obtained in step 425.

First promotion provider may interact with the user, providing the user with promotional information and possibly making sales.

At step 435, the server operated by first promotion provider may hand-off the user to another server, which is operated by a second promotion provider. The second promotion provider may interact with the user, in a manner similar to first promotion provider. When done, the second promotion provider may hand-off the user back to the website hosted by host computer 120.

At step 440, host computer 120 may notify the user if an award has been won, based on the device 215 obtained from segment 115. If device 215 is a decode-style device, processor 121 may execute instructions corresponding to the website to randomly generate information pertaining to whether the user has won an award or prize. Depending on the result of this random generation, processor 121 may select the corresponding image data from memory 123, whereby the image contains information notifying the user whether or not the user has won an award or prize. The image may be concealed by being invisible to the naked eye or only visible when viewed through the tinted or non-tinted plastic material on descrambler-style device 215, which may require that the descrambler-style device be held in front of an illuminated or non-illuminated display. One skilled in the art will readily appreciate that techniques for generating and displaying an image are known and within the scope of the invention.

Processor 121 may then execute instructions corresponding to the website to instruct the user to hold up descrambler-style device 215 so that the plastic material is in front of the displayed image. Alternatively, when the concealed information is printed on window or lens device 215, the processor 121 may execute instructions to instruct the user to hold the window device in front of the display to reveal the information on printed on the window or lens device 215. Depending on the information revealed, the user will be notified whether or not an award has been won. If the user has won, processor 121 may execute instructions corresponding to the website to obtain further information for providing the award to the user.

Further to process 400, each provider may maintain a log of users who have been led to the provider by the website hosted by host computer 120. Each provider may periodically compensate the operator of host computer, based on the number of users brought to it in process 400.

Variations to exemplary process 400 are possible and within the scope of the invention. For example, there may be additional providers, to whom the user may be seamlessly handed-off, in a manner similar to steps 435 and 440. Further, instead of first provider handing-off the user to the second provider, each provider may hand-off the user to the website hosted by host computer 120. In this manner, each provider may not be aware of the presence of other providers. Additionally, host computer 120 may store information pertaining to each of the promotion providers in memory 123. This may enable host computer 120 to selectively hand-off users to specific providers, depending on the user information obtained in step.

FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary process 500, in which a user may send a text message in accordance with instructions printed on surface 205 (or on paper 112 underneath lens surface 205) according to the present invention. The surface 205 may be opaque for the purposes of this embodiment. Process 500 may be implemented by an organization that operates host computer 120 and provides segments 115 to ATMs, POS terminals (hereinafter “operator”), ticket terminals or printers 105 as illustrated in FIG. 1.

A more specific example of executing a promotion is provided with reference to FIG. 6. At step 605, the operator obtains information from a promotion provider regarding items that are being offered as awards. For example, a TV manufacturer may have a new model that the TV manufacturer wishes to promote. The TV manufacturer may enlist the services of the provider, whereby the TV manufacturer may give several TVs to the provider to be offered as awards. The operator may obtain information regarding the model TV, and the number that are available to be given away.

A step 610, the operator prints surfaces 205 having information about the TV, along with instructions for the user to send a text message to a predetermined phone number along with a key word from among a plurality of key words. The key word may be a code that corresponds to a particular product promotion, such as a promotion for a new model TV, and the like.

Further to step, 610, the operator adheres the lens devices 215 to paper 112 to form a plurality of segments 115.

At step 415, the operator provides the segments 115 to the ATM operator, who installs the segments 115 in dispensing terminal 105.

At step 620, the operator notifies wireless communication service 140 that a certain number corresponds to a prize drawing. Wireless communication service 140 may be instructed to relay any received text messages to host computer 120. Wireless communication service 140 may further be instructed to send an automatic reply to cell phone 145, download a game to cell phone 145, and the like.

At step 625, dispensing terminal 105 dispenses segment 115 to user at the conclusion of a transaction. The user then may remove window or lens surface 205 from segment 115, revealing instructions to send a text message containing the key word to the number provided to wireless communication service 140 in step 415.

At step 630, the user sends a text message to wireless communication service 140, along with key word, using a cell phone 145.

At step 635, wireless communication service 140 receives the text message, along with the key word, and relays the text message to host computer 140. Processor 121 may execute instructions stored in memory 123 to store the text message and key word in memory 123. Each received text message may be stored according to key word. In doing so, multiple files may be maintained in memory 123, one per key word. Further to step 435, processor 121 may execute instructions to transmit information to wireless communication service 140 along with instructions to relay the information to cell phone 145. The information relayed to cell phone 145 may correspond to the key word, and may include a game, and/or information regarding an award that is available for bidding.

In response to the information relayed to cell phone 145, the user may place a bid for the award. Wireless communication service 140 may relay the bid back to host computer 120, where it may be stored in memory 123.

At step 435, after a predetermined period, in which multiple bids have been received and stored in memory 123, processor 121 may execute instructions to select the lowest unique bid, and then transmit a message to wireless communication service 140 for relaying to the cell phone 145 corresponding to the lowest unique bid. In this exemplary scenario, the lowest unique bidder may win the award. An example of such a text message-based promotional game is that of Limbo 41414, Inc., Burlingame, Calif. (http://www.41414.com/howtoplay).

The bid provided by the user may be referred to as promotion response data. Instead of a bid for an award, the promotional response data may include any information (e.g., answer to a trivia question, hobby or special interest information, and the like). In this case, processor 121 may execute instructions stored in memory 123 to select a winner among received text messages and promotional response data, according to some predetermined criteria. Also, promotion response information data may be optional. In this case, a winner may be drawn randomly based on the phone number corresponding to cell phone 145.

Further to step 635, wireless communication service 140 may obtain information, such as an address, which it relays back to host computer 120 over internet 125. The address may be used for shipping the promotional award. Wireless communication service 140 may alternatively obtain a shipping address by retrieving the address corresponding to the owner of cell phone 145.

At step 640, wireless communication service 140 may log all of the text messages it receives regarding the promotion. Wireless communication service 140 may also provide this information periodically to host computer 120 over internet 125. Processor 121 on host computer 120 may store this information in memory 123.

Further to step 640, the operator may provide the text message logs obtained from wireless communication service 140 to the provider.

At step 645, the provider may then compensate the operator based on the number of logged text messages.

Variations to process 600 are possible and within the scope of the invention. For example, surface 205 or window or lens device 215 may contain information encouraging the user to send a text message with a specific key word. In response to the text message with the key word, wireless communication service 140 may send an autoreply message to cell phone 145 that encourages the user to go to a website hosted by host computer 120. The autoreply message may also include information, such as a predetermined character string, which the user enters at a prompt provided by the website. In response to receiving the predetermined character string, host computer 120 may provide additional information to the user via client computer 130. This additional information may include information about a periodic (e.g., daily) drawing. Further, processor 121 may execute instructions to receive and additional information regarding the user via client computer 130, and store this information in memory 123. Processor 121 may subsequently execute instructions stored in memory 123 to randomly select a winner among users who have provided their information.

In another variation of the present invention, confidential or promotional information may inform an ATM user that he/she may have their ATM fee refunded. In this case, when the ATM user interacts with the website, as described in steps 325-345, processor 121 may execute instructions to determine if the ATM user has accepted any of the promotional offers presented in steps 330-340. If so, processor 121 may execute instructions to display information to ATM user via client computer 130 that the ATM user is entitled to a refund of his/her ATM fees (along with other optional prizes). Processor 121 may further execute instructions to obtain information from the ATM user necessary to credit the ATM user's credit card, mail a check, or implement some other way of refunding the ATM user. Other similar refunds or credits may be offered to POS users.

In another variation of the present invention, the machine dispensing a receipt, may be an ATM, Point of Sale machine, cash register, ticket dispenser such as movie ticket dispenser, parking ticket dispenser or amusement park ticket dispenser, printer or similar.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. 

1. A method of providing concealed information, comprising: installing a supply of paper in a dispenser, wherein the supply of paper has at least one window device disposed thereon; dispensing at least a portion of said paper to a user; and providing the concealed information, wherein the concealed information is included in the dispensed portion of paper and wherein the concealed information is revealable by a user.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the concealed information is provided on a surface of the window device.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the concealed information is revealable by holding the window device in front of a display.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the display includes a screen.
 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the screen is selected from the group consisting of: a computer screen, a movie screen, a transparent screen, a semi-transparent screen; and an opaque.
 6. The method of claim 3, wherein the display further includes a light source.
 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the light source is selected from the group consisting of: a white light source and a color light source.
 8. The method of claim 6, wherein the display further includes a screen and the light source illuminates the screen.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the concealed information is provided on a surface of the portion of paper.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the dispensed paper further includes the window device and the window device is removeable from the dispensed portion of paper and is usable to reveal the concealed information provided on the surface of the paper segment.
 11. The method of claim 1, wherein the supply of paper includes a plurality of detachable paper segments, wherein the concealed information on all of the plurality of paper segments in the dispenser is substantially the same before being installed in the dispenser.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the concealed information on one of the plurality of segments is different.
 13. The method of claim 1, wherein the supply of paper includes a plurality of detachable paper segments, wherein the concealed information on at least one of the plurality of paper segments in the dispenser is different before being installed in the dispenser.
 14. The method of claim 1, wherein the dispenser is selected from the group consisting of: an ATM terminal, a POS terminal, a ticket terminal, or a printer.
 15. The method of claim 1, wherein the paper segment further includes a concealment device and the concealment device is selected from a scratch-off surface and a removable opaque pull-off surface.
 16. The method of claim 1, wherein the window device is transparent or semi-transparent.
 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the window device is tinted.
 18. The method of claim 1, wherein the window device is a descrambler style game piece. 